Bulls Too Much For Magic, L.A. / Johnson humbled in 2nd game back

Tim Keown, Chronicle Staff Writer

Published
4:00 am PST, Saturday, February 3, 1996

1996-02-03 04:00:00 PDT Inglewood -- The crowd swarmed and swirled with religious intensity last night outside the concrete tunnel leading to the team entrance at the Forum. Eight deep, 10 deep -- hundreds of them, two hours before the game -- they stood as if awaiting a moment that could alter the course of their lives. They were children and adults, Michael jerseys and Magic jerseys, women in leather pants and one frantic, screaming man holding a sign that read, "Ask Jesus To Save You NOW."

They hung on a chain-link fence, pushing and pulling and climbing like abandoned refugees. They were waiting to steal a glimpse of the Bulls' bus through the Starter-clad humanity, hoping to get lucky enough to make out the outline of a head through the darkened windows.

Most of them didn't have tickets, according to the overworked security force. They were there for one reason: Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson got together on a basketball court in an NBA game for the first time since the 1991 NBA Finals, and the tidal pull of fame was too strong to ignore.

The outcome of the game was never a consideration. The Bulls are operating on a different level, and their 99-84 win was just the latest and most blatant example. They have 18 straight wins and a preposterous, cartoon-like record of 41-3.

"We had to come in here and make sure we spoil the party," Jordan said.

The Bulls are the Beatles at their peak, or the Pope visiting a desperate country. "Everywhere we go," Dennis Rodman said, "it's a traveling road show. We had to get police escort in Sacramento." Add Magic, in his second game since unretiring, and the event transcended the court.

It was a night of strange moments: About 10 minutes before the game, a fan in a Bulls jersey walked onto the court and grabbed Jordan by the leg during the Bulls' warmups. As Jordan backed away, the man began crying and yelling, "I love you, Michael!" He was quickly sent away by the three uniformed officers stationed behind the Bulls' bench.

Typical of the Bulls, they somehow took this story and made it their own. It wasn't a one-on-one between two legendary figures; instead, it was Scottie Pippen scoring 30 points and Rodman yanking down a season-high 23 rebounds.

"Of course, I didn't have as much fun this time," Johnson said in a postgame press conference attended by everyone from Swedish television to Hammer. "But give them credit: They are all they're built up to be -- and more."

Johnson had 13 points, three rebounds and three assists -- a far cry from his near-triple-double performance against the Warriors on Tuesday night. Where the Warriors steered clear of all Lakers, the Bulls took a different approach. They put Rodman on Johnson, which means unceasing contact, continuous harassment and whatever else he can think of.

Johnson returned Tuesday night; he returned to the real world last night.

"There are a lot of good teams in the West," Jordan said. "The Golden State Warriors are not one of them."

"They were getting me ready, and you know what? I enjoyed it," Johnson said. "The more they ride me and hit me, the better I'm going to become."

Johnson's rustiness was more apparent; he seemed to have just one shot, a running hook in the lane. He dribbles hard, backs in and turns to the right. As he does it, his teammates stand around -- almost to the point of putting their hands on their hips -- and hope for something good.

"This was a little bit of a check to see where it's at against a tough opponent," Bulls coach Phil Jackson said. "Dennis was solid. Magic looked a little like himself out there, but it's going to be tough and it's going to take time."

Jordan scored 17 points and played a secondary role, if that's at all possible for him. After a hyped Lakers team led by as many as eight points in the first quarter, Pippen (20 first-half points) and Rodman (15 first-half rebounds, to the Lakers' 12) put matters to rest.

The Bulls are like water on a rock: gradual and relentless.

The game was tied at 33 early in the second quarter, but then James Edwards hit one of his ageless turnarounds, Pippen ripped one down the lane and Rodman brought home a dunk. It was 39-33 and over.

"Magic has the intensity and the killer instinct in his eyes, but his teammates may not have the same," Jordan said.

Jordan didn't name names, but here's two: Vlade Divac had two points and was completely befuddled the entire game; Eddie Jones had eight points in the first 71 seconds of the game, two points the rest of the way.

"This is an indicator game for us," Johnson said. "They know what they've got; we don't know yet."

What the Bulls have is awfully close to unfair. They toy with their opponents, nearly mocking them in the process. They're a team of spiders, playing with a league full of wounded flies.